


Maternal Instinct

by Ljparis



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Family Feels, Gen, Grandmothers, Post-Deathly Hallows
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-03-18
Updated: 2017-03-18
Packaged: 2018-10-07 06:17:35
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 521
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10353990
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Ljparis/pseuds/Ljparis
Summary: Andromeda Tonks stared at the baby asleep in the crib beside her sloppily made bed. He was small for his age, like Nymphadora had been. He raised a tiny fist and rubbed his eyes, which she knew were blue, like his father’s. He hadn’t changed the color of them yet.





	

Andromeda Tonks stared at the baby asleep in the crib beside her sloppily made bed. He was small for his age, like Nymphadora had been. He raised a tiny fist and rubbed his eyes, which she knew were blue, like his father’s. He hadn’t changed the color of them yet.

Teddy – oh how tears had sprung to her eyes when Remus had told her his name – whined in his sleep, fussed. He’d been fussy every night since he’d lost his parents at the hands of, not surprisingly, the Lestranges. Andromeda’s own sister, her own _twin_ , had sent the curse to end Nymphadora’s life, to leave Teddy an orphan.

Narcissa had brought her the news. Narcissa, a sister she hadn’t spoken to since she married Ted. It had been a reunion pushed off for too long, and Teddy had begun to cry even before Narcissa had opened her mouth. It was like he already knew.

Narcissa’s family had been so deep into You-Know-Who’s circle that they feared ever getting out. And yet Narcissa’s family emerged unscathed. Andromeda, who had chosen to denounce her family, marry for love, give up everything familiar, live as a Muggle – she had lost nearly everything. She had made the harder choice, the _right_ choice, and that choice had cost her her family.

Teddy yawned, a big, wide yawn that took over his entire face. Andromeda sniffled. She wiped at her cheeks, which were seemed to be wet all the time now. She touched the top of his head, smoothed back the wisps of currently mousy brown hair. He turned into her touch and smack his lips a few times.

Harry had offered to take him. She knew he was Teddy’s godfather, but even if she hadn’t believed Harry was too young, Andromeda would have never given him up. She and Ted had only ever wanted Nymphadora, had never discussed a second child. They hadn’t even been considering grandchildren and then suddenly Nymphadora had an announcement to make.

Ted had been the ecstatic one. He got along with Remus, approved, couldn’t wait to see his grandchild. Andromeda had been the one who didn’t approve. Not only was Remus much too old for Nymphadora, he couldn’t support them both, and on top of all that, he was a werewolf. But then again, Nymphadora had never done anything the simple way.

Her daughter and son-in-law’s excitement the day of Teddy’s birth had been contagious. And the moment the baby was placed in Andromeda’s arms, she fell in love. She would love Teddy his entire life, would never let him forget his parents, how brave they were – how foolish too – how happy and, yes, how in love they have been, taking chances for life and happiness in wartime. Teddy would grow up with an amazing godfather, friends who risked everything, and a grandmother who loved him enough for three lost family members.

Andromeda bent over the crib and brushed her lips across his forehead. She would be grandmother, grandfather, father, and mother to this beautiful and special boy until the day she could reunite with those whose place she was filling.


End file.
